The Book of Shadows
by angelsinstead
Summary: Shortly before marrying Franco, strange things begin to happen to Elizabeth's loved ones. As Jason and Audrey fight for their lives, little Jake disappears. What secrets are hiding in the attic?
1. Chapter 1

_Author's Note: I am using this six-word story as inspiration for my fic- "Words haunt me more than ghosts." by BanjoDan. I don't own GH or any of the characters. This was written for entertainment only._

Her name was Elizabeth Webber and his name was Franco Baldwin. He had swept her off her feet after she had gone through a string of failed relationships. She didn't listen when her friends and family warned her about him and his dark past. She was convinced that Franco was a changed man and the only one for her.

She was thrilled when he popped the question. A couple of days later, he had purchased a home in the woods just outside of Port Charles. It was perfect! She couldn't wait to move into the lovely house with Franco and her three darling boys. Franco would make a wonderful stepfather. He had already helped Jake, her middle son so much. She and Franco had so much in common. They were both artists. Everything seemed absolutely picturesque and perfect!

Elizabeth thought that soon they'd be married, living in their new home, and having a phenomenal life, but their wedding would have to wait. Her ex, Jason Morgan had collapsed and was now in a coma. Jason was hospitalized and not expected to make it. The doctors were baffled, because his strange illness seemed to have no explanation. For whatever reason, little Jake may no longer have his father. Even if the worst happened and Jason died, Franco promised Elizabeth he'd help her take care of little Jake and his siblings, Cameron and Aiden.

After a beautiful wedding in the country, Franco and Elizabeth spent their honeymoon in their new home in which he had set up with rose petals and candlelight for their romantic interlude. Elizabeth couldn't have been more happy. Even when her beloved grandma took ill after the wedding and was unable to watch the boys, Franco hired a nanny to look after them in the west wing of the house, so they could still have their honeymoon and be child-free.

"I hope that Grandma Audrey will be okay. She just took suddenly sick... kind of like Jason. If anything happened to her..." Elizabeth worried as she snuggled in bed with her new husband Franco.

"Your grandma will be fine. It's our wedding night. Try not to worry," said Franco as he handed Elizabeth a tall glass of white wine.

Elizabeth sipped at the glass of expensive wine. "It's hard not to worry. People I love and care about have become suddenly sick... for absolutely no reason."

"Everything will be alright," Franco assured as he brushed a warm kiss across Elizabeth's cheek.

"Franco, I love you," she murmured as she set her glass of wine on the nightstand and turned her face so she could kiss Franco upon his sexy lips.

"I love you, too,' he said as he pressed his body over hers in a maneuver of heated passion.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter Two**

After their pleasurable and romantic wedding night, life resumed as usual for Franco and Elizabeth. She returned to her work as a nurse at the hospital while Franco spent a great deal of his time working in his art studio on his latest paintings. The boys - Cameron, Aiden, and Jake returned to school and daycare. Sadly though, Elizabeth was very worried about her grandmother's health as well as Jason's.

She was working in the hospital one night when she saw Sam crying right outside of Jason's hospital room. She and Sam had always had their differences, but lately, they had been trying to be civilized and kind to each other for the sake of their children. Elizabeth was extremely worried about Jason and when she saw Sam's tears, she longed to comfort her. Elizabeth approached Sam and lightly touched her arm. "Sam, I am so sorry about Jason. If there is anything I can do..." Elizabeth said softly.

"I think my husband's going to die, Elizabeth. Danny, Scout, and Jake are going to lose their father. I think it's the Cassadine curse... or something evil - something far more sinister than that," Sam said with red-rimmed eyes.

Elizabeth look at Sam in shock. "What do you mean... evil?"

"The doctor said there is no explanation for Jason's collapse or his sudden coma. He's not responding to any treatment. It is as if someone... or some THING didn't want Jason around to protect us... Me, you, the children..."

"Sam, I don't know..."

"I can FEEL it. Something _took_ Jason from us. Something is keeping him from coming back," Sam said in a sob.

She reached out for Elizabeth who held Sam tenderly in her arms, lightly caressing her dark hair and soothing her gently. "Shhhh... just let it out," Elizabeth encouraged. "You're exhausted. You've been through far too much."

"What about you?" said Sam as she pulled back to stare into Elizabeth's eyes. "Jason is the father of your son... and your grandmother; she's desperately ill."

"Grandma Audrey is going to pull through."

"God, I hope so. **How much more tragedy can we take**?"

Just then, Elizabeth received a call. Looking down at the cell phone, she could see that it was the babysitter calling. "That's the sitter. I have to take the call. Excuse me," she said to Sam.

Sam returned to Jason's side while Elizabeth spoke to the sitter on the phone. "This is Elizabeth," she said.

"Mrs. Baldwin, something has happened to Jake!" the sitter spoke frantically.


	3. Chapter 3

_Author's Note: This drabble series was written for the Six-Word story challenge. I am using this six-word story as inspiration for my fic- "Words haunt me more than ghosts." by BanjoDan._

 **Chapter Three**

Elizabeth frantically reached out to Franco on the way to her car. As she stepped into her vehicle, he answered her call. "Elizabeth?" he said.

"Something's wrong!" she cried out. "The sitter called."

"What did she say?" Franco asked with concern.

"It's Jake," Elizabeth said as intense worry made her voice tremble.

She was starting her car when Franco said, "I will meet you at home. Everything is going to be okay. I promise."

Elizabeth hung on to his words as she drove out of the hospital's parking lot. It was at least a twenty minute drive to their new home in the country, but Elizabeth made it to their estate in less than ten minutes. She had been speeding through Port Charles and running all the red lights. When she got close to their mansion, she gunned the engine of her car.

Despite her swift and wild ride to their home, Franco made it there before her. He was getting out of his car when she pulled into the circular driveway. "What happened to Jake?" he questioned. "What did the sitter say?"

"I don't know," she said as she went into his arms and he comforted her. In his embrace, she felt a sudden sense of relief. Everything HAD to be alright. Franco wouldn't let anything happen to Jake. He had always protected and lovingly cared for her son.

When they stepped into the foyer, they found the sitter, Mrs. Mendenhall and the boys, Cameron and Aiden. The sitter looked pale and deeply disturbed. Both of the boys were water-eyed as if they had been crying.

"What happened?" Elizabeth questioned. "Where is Jake?"

"He disappeared," the sitter stated.

"What do you mean?" Elizabeth gasped.

"How can a child just disappear?" Franco demanded.

"We were on the third floor," Cameron spoke up. "Playing hide and seek."

Aiden nodded as Cameron explained. "Jake was hiding... and now we can't find him."

"He opened the door..." Cameron said, appearing traumatized.

"WHAT door?" Elizabeth questioned.

"The one that goes up to the attic," Aiden said very softly.

"So he's in the attic?" Elizabeth surmised.

"Mrs. Baldwin, that door is locked..." said the sitter. "I couldn't get it to open; no matter how hard I tried. I'm so sorry."

The sitter burst into tears as Elizabeth did her best to comfort her. "It's not your fault, Mrs. Mendanhall. The attic door is probably jammed."

"I am going up to look for Jake. Don't anybody leave this room," Franco said, his voice stern.

Elizabeth watched as Franco rushed up the stairs. Her heart was beating frantically with worry for her son, but even so, she was doing her best to reassure the sitter and her other two boys. *Ohhh, please let Jake be okay,* she was silently praying. Their family had already been through far too much tragedy.


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter Four - Behind Closed Doors**

 **Elizabeth waited fearfully with Aiden, Cameron, and the sitter for Franco's return. She could only hope that her husband could get the attic door open and rescue little Jake. Her middle son must be so scared. It was dark and creepy in the attic; Elizabeth was sure of it, but the mansion where they lived was so huge that she had never set foot inside the attic. Her life had been incredibly busy since she had gotten married to Franco. She had spent everyday caring for the boys, settling them into their new home, and dealing with her Grandma Audrey and Jason's strange illnesses. She felt a sudden pang of guilt and dread, realizing that she hadn't checked out the attic herself to make sure it was safe for the boys. Exactly what did Franco have up in the attic anyway?!**

 **"The door's just jammed," Elizabeth said to her worried sons. "Franco can get it open. Jake will be fine."**

 **Even though she kept trying to reassure the boys and herself, deep down she knew that something was horribly wrong. Was it something Sam had said at the hospital- about them being cursed by some sort of evil? Was there some sort of sinister force at work, trying to cause damage to everyone Elizabeth loved? Just the thought of it made her cringe in terror. She was about to jump out of her skin as it felt as though it had been hours since Franco rushed up the stairs in search of her son.**

 ***Ohhhh Jake, please be alright,* Elizabeth inwardly pleaded. She couldn't take it if anything at all happened to her little boy. She had almost lost him before when she thought he was dead, but he had been captured by Helena on Cassadine island. Her heart couldn't bear anything happening to anyone else that she loved.**

 **Tears were shining in her eyes when Franco appeared on the stairs with a hand on Jake's shoulder. Jake was just one step ahead of his stepfather. "Jake!" Elizabeth screamed with relief, running up and grabbing her precious son in a bear-hug. "What happened? How did you get locked in the attic?"**

 **There was a haunted look in the little boy's eyes. He looked riveted in fear. "Mommy," he said, trembling from head to toe.**

 **"Ohhh Jake, it must have been so scary in the attic... and awfully dark. I am so sorry the door closed ... and you couldn't get it open because it was jammed," Elizabeth said, trying to soothe her scared little boy.**

 **"Franco, what happened? How did you get the door open?" Elizabeth asked.**

 **Franco shrugged. "I just twisted the knob... then I walked right in."**

 **"Impossible,' said the babysitter. "The door wouldn't open. I tried everything."**

 **"Well, you didn't try hard enough," Franco said in irritation.**

 **"Aiden and I couldn't get the door open either, Mom," Cameron spoke up.**

 **"Jake ~ honey, please... tell me what happened. How did you get locked in the attic... and what did you see that scared you so much?" Elizabeth prompted her son.**

 **"Mommy, it wasn't dark in the attic. There were candles," he said. "And a skeleton's head was setting beside an old book in the middle of a table. And then there were the pictures..."**

 **"What pictures?" Elizabeth asked.**

 **"The pictures of the people with glowing eyes. They were looking at me."**

 **Elizabeth felt an icy chill rush down her spine. She looked at her husband for answers - the only other person who had ever set foot in the attic, to her knowledge. "What's he talking about, Franco? What pictures?" She didn't dare speak of the other creepy things Jake had said he saw in the attic. It sounded like something straight out of a horror movie!**

 **Once again, Franco shrugged. He approached Elizabeth and wrapped her in his embrace in an attempt to calm her down. "There's nothing in the attic except for some stuff I had stored in my old art studio... a few of my old paintings... some statues I had been working on... nothing important. I am not sure what Jake thinks he saw, but there is nothing like** ** _that_** **in the attic. His imagination must have been working overtime, because he got scared. I think we should all go to bed now and get some rest. We'll talk about it ... in the morning."**

 **"No," said Elizabeth. "I want to see what's in the attic. Take me up and show me right now."**


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter Five - Haunted**

Despite Franco's protests, Elizabeth insisted that she must see what the mysterious attic contained. "I told you; it's just a bunch of old paintings, some sculptures and a few other works of art. Nothing more," Franco said.

Elizabeth spoke to the boys, "Cameron, Aiden, and Jake, it's past your bedtime. You need to go to bed."

"I promise to tuck them in, Mrs. Baldwin," offered the sitter.

"Thank you," Elizabeth said, then she headed toward the staircase with the intention of checking out the attic. Franco reluctantly followed her.

Elizabeth was out of breath when she finally reached the attic door. Before she could touch it, Franco moved ahead of her, twisting the knob and opening the door. They stepped into a room which consisted of complete darkness.

"It there not a light up here?" Elizabeth asked as they stood in the inky blackness. It was in that moment, Elizabeth saw something that appeared haunting. It was as if a hundred tiny stars were glowing in the near distance directly in front of her.

"Franco?" Elizabeth called out as she felt suddenly all alone in such a dark and gloomy place.

Franco switched on a light so that the room was bathed in a soft glow. As she looked around, she did indeed see the many unfinished paintings that Franco had spoken of as well as the various sculptures and other works of art. But as she turned to her left, she found the table and upon it was the large book her son had mentioned.

"Franco, what is this book?" Elizabeth asked as she approached the table. There was no sign of the skull that Jake had claimed he had seen upon the table next to the book.

"Don't touch it, Elizabeth," Franco warned. "Please."

"But what is...?" she began to ask, but her words stopped abruptly as she turned to look at her husband.

He seemed greatly agitated, but Elizabeth did not notice. She was transfixed by the photographs that lined the walls directly behind him. Those pictures were terrifying! She saw dozens of old-fashioned photographs of people, all of them in black and white. Their eyes! They were stranger than anything Elizabeth had ever laid eyes on. It was as if they were staring oddly into her very soul. The photographs definitely had to be the ones that had frightened her little Jake.

"Franco, who are the people in all these pictures?"

"They are my ancestors," he said as he stared ahead as if he were lost in some sort of trance. "I am their last descendant. There will be no others after me. The darkness I have carried inside me; it will die with me."

"You don't know that," Elizabeth disagreed.

"Ohhh I do know that," he insisted. "I do not want a child. I've committed terrible crimes and I would not wish that darkness upon a child of my flesh."

Elizabeth shook her head, disagreeing with him. After his brain tumor had been removed, Franco had changed. He was no longer that frightening and sinister man.

"That's all in the past. You're a good man now; the man I came to love," she said as she approached him and settled herself into the strength of his arms.

She could feel every muscle in his body tensed up as she held him close. Very gradually, he relaxed. He wrapped his arms around her. "I love you, Elizabeth, so much. I am sorry, but I am far too selfish to let you go."

"I love you, too," she said as his lips settled over hers. She closed her eyes, getting lost in the passion of his kiss.

As their lips melded, the eyes in those portraits began to glow like stars. Elizabeth's eyes were closed; she did not witness the haunting sight of those watchful eyes.

Franco swept Elizabeth away as he took her from the attic. Franco firmly closed the door behind them and said, "I want to make love to you." She did not protest as they made their way down the staircase and to their bedroom on the second floor.

He carried Elizabeth in his arms and lay her tenderly upon their bed. As their lips and bodies melded, Elizabeth thought of Franco's words he had uttered in the attic. He was wrong - ever so wrong!

He didn't know it yet, but she was three months pregnant with his child.


End file.
